Steamboat Springs  Now on duty in the city of Steamboat Springs are four 2013 Ford Police Interceptors.

Steamboat police Capt. Jerry Stabile said it is the first time the department has purchased cars that were manufactured specifically to be cop cars.

They come prewired to accommodate things like the lights, sirens and radar system. They also are beefed up with rugged suspensions, brakes and alternators capable of generating enough power for the electronics and computer systems.

The Ford marketing materials tout the Interceptors as being “great for chasing bad guys on bad roads.”

Stabile said patrol cars at the department have been moved from a three-year to a five-year rotation. The hope is that the vehicles will stay in better shape longer and the maintenance costs will be lower throughout the five years. In five years, it is expected the cars will have 120,000 to 130,000 miles on them.

The cars have not been outfitted with video and audio capturing equipment.

“Budget-wise, we’re not there yet to add that,” Stabile said.

The Interceptors are all-wheel drive and have a top speed of 131 mph with a V6 3.7-liter engine that puts out 304 horsepower.

Each car cost $26,340. An additional $6,800 worth of equipment was installed for $3,000 for each car. Lone Oak Studio in Steamboat made the stencils. The vehicles were purchased through Steamboat Motors.

Stabile said that before purchasing the cars, the department got input from the officers.

“They spend more than eight hours per day in their cars,” he said. “So far, our patrol people are pretty impressed with them.”

Routt County residents also will be seeing the Interceptors patrolling county roads. Sheriff Garrett Wiggins said his office has taken delivery of eight of the cars.

The Sheriff’s Office primarily has black patrol cars, but it is transitioning to a beige color.

I'm sure all local taxpayers agree with me, nothing but the finest for our Boys In Blue -- finally we can catch all those desperate criminals whose high-speed chases go right through our town, they won't get away again -- not to mention the "bad guys on bad roads" which is a perpetual problem around these parts. No expense is too great; money grows on trees.

PS -- Only 130? Ha!! Either one of my Mustangs would have run away from you, and I built them for a fraction of what you're paying. 'Course, that was then... and as now, the radio was much more difficult to outrun -- making how fast the cop cars go moot. But I'm glad our guys have fun new toys to play with.

PPS -- Amusing sidebar: It was a cop radio which indirectly led me to this town. The Judge agreed that a stint in the Marines might introduce some much-needed self-discipline (ha) so he dropped the charges, starting a chain of events which continues here. It wasn't the car that caught me, but the radio. So I see the supercars as overkill.